Armature assembling machine



March 30, 1954 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 R. M. GOODWIN ARMATURE ASSEMBLINGMACHINE 13 Shee ts-Sheet 1 March 30, 1954 R. M. eoonwm 2,673,391ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1947 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

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R. M. GOODWIN ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE March 30, 1954 13 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Sept. 12 1947 'VIV INVENTOR.

March 30, 1954 ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1947 13Sheets-Sheet 4 R. M. eoonwm 2,673,391,

March 30, 1954 R. M. GOODWIN ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12,1947 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mad- March 30, 1954 R. M. GOODWIN ARMATUREASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1947 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 30, 1954M, Goo w 2,673,391

ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1947 13 Sheets-Sheet 7 i%INVENTOR. I %BY;QM/

March 30, 1954 R. M. eoonwm ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12,1947 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR.

March 30, 1954 R. M soonwm 2,673,391 ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE FiledSept. 12, 1947 13 Sheets-Sheet 1O INVENTOR.

BY WMMQZL March 30, 1954 R. M. eooowm ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE 13Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 INVENTOR.

March 30, 1954 R. M. eooowm I ARMATURE ASSEMBLING MACHINE 13Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 INVENTOR.

ON a Patented Mar. 30, 1954 ARMATURE ASSEMBLIN G MACHINE Richard M.Goodwin,

General Motors Corporation, corporation of Delaware Anderson, Ind.,assignor to Detroit, Micln, a

Application September 12, 1947, Serial No. 773,665

3 Claims. (01. 29- 205) 7 I This invention relates to the manufacture ofarmatures for dynamoelectric machines and its object is to provide amachine for assembling core laminations with an armature shaft and forburnishing the edges of the core teeth.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine.

. Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a rear View.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end View, partly in section, looking in thedirection of arrow 4 of Fig. 1, the burnisher being omitted.

Fig. 5 is a. sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view on line 6-6 of Fig 6.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on line |7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is afragmentary detail of a locator shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view with the burnisher attached.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line |2|2 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view on line |3|3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view on line |2--|2 of Fig. 2 showing parts inpositions other than shown in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view on line |5| 5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 16 is a sectional View on line |6-|6 of Fig. 5.

Fig 17 is an operation chart.

Fig. 18 is an electrical circuit diagram.

Fig. 19 is an hydraulic circuit diagram.

A. base 26 (Fig. 5) supports frames 2| and 22 carrying bearings 23 and24 for a shaft 25 connected by a coupling 26 with a speed reducer 2'!driven by a motor driven clutch 28 (Fig. 13). The frames 2| and 22support a table 26. The table supports plates 30 and 3| (Fig. 2) whichguide a carriage or shuttle 32 (Fig. 8) attached to a bearing plate 33which slides on the table. The shuttle is attached to a block 35 whichmoves in an opening 36 in table 29 and is guided by ways 36a attached tothe table. Block 35 is connected by pin 37 with a link 36 connected by apin 69 with a lever 4|! connected by a pin 4| (Fig. 16) 55 2 with aclevis 42 provided by a rod 43 slidably supported by lugs 44 and 45supported by the base 20. The rod 43 is urged right by a spring 46pushing against nuts 41 threaded on screw portion 48 of the rod 43.Lever 40 carries a pin 49 pivotally supporting a roller 50 engaging acam 5|. A spring 52, attached to a fixed stud 53 and to a plate 54 whicha pin 55 connects with lever d0, urges the roller 50 against the cam 5|.Rotation of the cam 5| produces movement of the shuttle 32.

Shuttle 32 carries a wear plate 32a upon which a stack of laminations Lis placed when the carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 8.Lamination discs L are confined between a bar 56 and a bar 51 having a.notch 58 which receives the discs. When shuttle 32 is moved against theback stop screw 59, the discs drop into a pocket 60 of the shuttle. Whenthe shuttle is moved forward (left in Fig. 8), the discs are located foroperation by a device which causes them to be aligned. This deviceincludes an aligning arbor or rod 6| smaller in diameter than the holein the discs and having a key 62 which, when the discs are turned willengage the notch 63 of each disc and stop its rotation. The rod 6|enters the holes in the discs when they are in the pocket 66 and liftsthem into contact with a rotary wire brush 64 mounted on ashaft 65connected by gearing in a box 66. A motor 15 mounted on a fixed plate 16drives a pulley 11 connected by a belt 18 with a pulley 19 which drivesthe gearing in box 66. Gear box 66 is supported by a pad 6'! connectedby pin 68 with a link 69 connected by a pin 1|] with a bracket 1|supported by table 26. The elevation of brush 64 is adjusted by turninga screw 12 threaded into bracket H and engaging link 69, and by turninga screw 13 threaded into link 69 and engaging the pad 61.

The disc aligning rod (Fig. 12) is carried by a slide guided forhorizontal movement by and carried by a frame 8| guided for verticalmovement by a bracket 82 supported by table 29. Frame 8| carries a pin83 supporting a roller 84 which engages a cam 85 made in two pieces 85aand 85b (Fig. 7) which are clamped into the annular groove 86 in shaft25 which drives the cam. Cam 85 produces vertical movements of rod 6|.Movement of rod 6| to the right is effected by a cam 96 integral with85a which engages a roller 6| which a pin 92 pivotally connects with alever 93 pivoted on a pin 94 supported by a block 95. Lever 93 carries aroller 96 at its upper end for engaging the slide 60 to move it (whilelowered) from the position shown in Fig. 12 to the position 83 in Fig.14. The rod SI is moved only hori- Zontally by cam 39 to the right fromthe position shown in Fig. 12, and passes through notches 33a and 3 Iain plates 38 and SI and through the holes in the lamination discs. Incase right movement of the rod 3| were obstructed by a misplacedlamination disc when cam 90 moves roller SI left, block iiican move leftagainst the action of a spring 9511' (Fig. 12) which surrounds a rod35?) extending through a washer 95c and into a hollow screw 95d threadedinto a bracket 95c which is attached to part 82 and which provides aguide for horizontal movement of the block 83. When the slide 33 hasbeen moved fully to the right against the action of spring 91 it islatched by a plunger 33 urged upwardly by a spring 93 so that it willcontact a shoulder IQ!) of the slide. Then the lever 93 can return underthe action of a spring It! from the position 33' to the full lineposition shown in Fig. 12, while the slide 83 remains to the right ofthe position shown in Fig. 12. Then the rod BI is elevated while it islocated within the holes of the discs L by the operation of cam 85 whichlifts the frame 8| from the position shown in Fig. 12 to that shown inFig. 14 so as to cause the discs to be engaged by the wire brush 6 3.This engagement continues for a time suificient for the discs L tobecome aligned by the engagement of their notches 63 with the key 62(Fig. 8) on bar GI. After this lapse of this time, the cam 85 permitsgravitation of the frame 3I to the position shown in Fig. 12. Duringthis movement a pin I95 supported by table 29 is engaged by a lever I38pivoted on a pin I01 carried by frame BI thereby causing the lever I33to move counterclockwise to move the plunger 38 down below the shoulderIIlII of slide 33, whereupon the spring 91 returns the slide 83 to theposition shown in Fig. 12 and the rod SI is withdrawn from the discs L.

' Before the rod ii! had descended with the discs L, the shuttle 32 hadmoved right from the position shown inFig. 8, to locate the pocket IIilthereof underneath the discs so that when they descend from the wirebrush 35, certain of their aligned teeth will receive locating bars Iii,H2 and H3 and. alignment will be maintained after the bar 3| iswithdrawn.

If the discs L are properly seated, the operation of forcing a shaftthrough them can be effected after the discs are clamped in position. Tomake sure that the shaft forcing mechanism to be described will notoperate if the discs are not properly seated, a safety device isprovided. A guide I26 supported by a frame I2I supports for verticalmovement a slide I22 connected by a pin I23 with a block I24 which ascrev. I25 attaches to a toothed rib or clamping member I23 in alignmentwith locator I12. Pin I21 connects slide I22 with link I23 connected bya pin I29 with a bell crank lever I33 which pin ISI connects with aslide I32 also guided by guide I23. A spring I33 between the top of theslide I32 and the top end wall IS I of guide I23 resists certain upwardmovement of-the slide I32.

If the discs L are properly seated, when the lever I33 moves from theposition I33 (Fig. 8) to the lower position shown in full lines, thetoggle link I28 is moved to a vertical position to cause the clamp toothI23 to be received between adjacent teeth at the top of the discs L, andthe lever I33can cause its surface I38a to engage a lever I43 which apin MI supports on a bracket Hi2 attached to guide I23. If lever I38 canmove into normal lower position it will cause lever I46 'cam I10 (Fig.4) driven to engage a roller I43 on the end of a valve rod IM to open avalve I45 which effects the operation of hydraulic means to be describedfor forcing a shaft through the discs L. If the discs L are not properlyseated in pocket H3 and are not properly aligned, clamp tooth I26 eithercannot enter a tooth space in discs L or it cannot move down to itsnormal lowest position. In either case, the pivot I3I of lever I30 willnot be at its normal lowest position and lever I33 cannot place itssurface I30a against lever I40 so as to cause it to open valve Hi5 andthe hydraulic means for forcing a shaft through the discs L cannotoperate. Furthermore, slide I32 will be forced up against the action ofspring I33 and will cause a screw I53 (threaded into its upper end andlocked in the desired position of adjustment by a nut I5I) to engage theoperating rod I52 of a valve I53 (Fig. 10) supported by a frame I53having a clamping collar I48 by which a screw ItBa secures the frame I53to the guide I23. If the valve I53 is thus operated, clutch 28 to bedescribed is disengaged. Collar I IB has a part I41 (Fig. 8) which,together with a bar I46 attached to part M1 by screws Idfia, secures thevalve I45 to the collar M8. The normal lower position of the slide I32and parts suspended therefrom are adjusted by turning nuts I56threadedly engaging the upper threaded endof slide I32 which passesthrough a hole in the upper end wall I34 of guide I20.

The location of aligning bar H2 in alignment with the tooth I26 isdetermined by adjusting the screw I39 threaded through a block I61 andlocked in adjusted position by a nut I32. If carriage 32 strikes screwI38 before cam 5i (Fig. 16) ceases pushing lever 40 to the left, leverfulcrum pin ll can move left against the force of spring it.

The feeler tooth I26 is moved vertically by a by shaft 23 and engaging aroller I1I pivotally supported by a lever I12 fulcrumed on a pin I13supported by a block I1 1 supported by base 26. Lever I12 is connectedby pin I15 with a rod I15a connected by a detachable coupling I13 with arod I11 connected by pin I18 with lever I33. Lever I33 is urged up intothe position shown in Fig. 4 by a spring I13 connecting lever 112 withtable 23.

Chutes I30 and IN (Figs. 1-5-1-8) support armature shafts S and guidethem into a slot in frame HI and in a slide I82. The lowermost shaft Srests on a plate I83 which may be a part of the frame I2I. When theslide moves left, a shaft drops through slot in the plate I83 and uponpairs of rollers I84, journalled on pins I85 supported by plate I83 andblocks I86. A shaft which has dropped is marked S in Figs. 7 and 5. Atthe proper time, pressure fluid is admitted to the left end of acylinder I93 to cause its piston rod I91 to move right and move aplunger I92 attached thereto. A bore I33 in the plunger I32 receives thereduced left end of shaft S and the plunger engages the shoulder I94 ofthe shaft S and pushes it through a hole in a pressure pad I95 (urgedleft by springs a and guided by a ring I93 (Fig. 6) which is supportedby the frame I2 I) and through the holes in the discs L then in thepocket I If! and clamped against the locators III, II2, M3 by thetoothed clamp jaw I23 (Fig. 8) Motion of the discs L to the right isresisted by two back up plates or jams 230, 26I while the shaft S, whichis straight-knurled, is pressed through the holes in the discs L. Laterthe jaws 230, 2M are moved laterally out of the path of movement so thata pusher device to be described can move the assembled shaft and corediscs into a chamber with a sleeve 292 located within an outer sleeve293 retained by the frame I2I and receiving pressure from the plates299, 29L

The rollers I84 provide in effect V-grooved supports for the shaft S toguide it into the holes in the core discs as the plunger or ram I92moves right or toward the observer in Fig. 7. Apparently in Fig. 7, therollers I84 are located in the path of movement of the ram I92. Topermit movement of the ram I92, the rollers are cut away at I84a andI841) (Fig. 6). The right end of the ram I92 is beveled at I92a and thisend engages the roller surfaces I94?) to cause the rollers to turn toposition I84 which permits the ram I92 to pass by. Various positions ofthe ram are marked I92, I92" and I92' in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is somewhatdiagrammatic since it shows the shaft S supported only by a thin edge ofthe rollers I94. Actually the shaft S is supported by these rollers inthe manner shown in Fig. 7.

When the rain I 92 is moved left by the admission of pressure fluid tothe right end of ram cylinder I99, the rollers are returned to full linepositions I84 by torsion springs 2I9 (Fig. 7) which rotate the rollersuntil fixed stops 2H (Fig. 6) are struck by the end walls of arcuategrooves 2I2 of rollers I84 which receive these stops.

The shaft feed slide IE2 is moved by a cam 229 (Fig. 7) driven by shaft25 and engaging a roller 22I pivotally supported by a lever 222fulcrumed at 223 on a block 224 supported by the base 29 and urgedupwardly by a spring 225. Lever 222 is connected by adjustable link 226pivotally connected with a lever 22? attached to a shaft 228 journalledin a bracket 229 supported by table 29. Shaft 228 carries a lever 239pivotally supporting a roller 23I for engaging the slide I82 to force itright. Movement of the slide I82 left is effected by engagement ofroller 23I with a plunger 232 which pushes a spring 233 against ashoulder on a screw 234, threaded through a bar 235 and locked by a nut2350., the bar being attached to a bracket 236 which screws 23'!attached to the slide I 82. A lug 236a of the bracket is stopped by ascrew 238 threaded through a bracket 249 and locked by a nut 24I. Afterthe slide I82 is stopped in its left movement, spring 233 isadditionally compressed. There is lost motion in the operativeconnection between the roller 23I and the slide I92 and the plunger 232for the reason that shaft 226 performs another function requiringgreater movement than the slide I82 requires.

The second function performed by the shaft 228 is to operate the back upjaws 299 and 2M which, as shown in Fig. 4, are pivoted on pins 249 and24! supported by a bracket 242. The plates 209, 29! have slots 243receiving pins 244 carried by lever 245 attached to shaft 228 and movedby the shaft 228 between the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 8corresponding to which these plates are retracted and advanced,respectively.

When the plates 296, 29I are retracted as shown in Fig. 4, the assembledcore and armature shaft are moved from pocket H9 (Fig. 5) into thesleeve 292 by a pusher rod 259 which passes through a hole in pressurepad I95. Rod 259 is attached to a slide 25I guided for horizontalmovement by ways 252 attached to table 29 and connected with a pistonrod 253 connected with a piston in a compressed air cylinder 254attached to a frame 255 which also, supports oil cylinder I99. The coreand shaft assembly which the rod 259 pushes into the sleeve 292 will beso located that the left end of the shaft will be located between orclose to the right side of the back up jaws 299, 29I. The next armatureshaft S which is assembled by the ram I92 with core discs L in pocket II 9, will engage the shaft of the preceding core and shaft assembly andpush the latter through a core-tooth edge burnisher.

The burnisher comprises a plate 269 (Figs. 5 and 11) attached to theframe I2I and the table 29 and supporting radially disposed rods 26Ieach carrying a roller 262 received by a core slot and engaging thecorner edges of the core teeth which define the slot in order to burnishthe edges smooth. Each. rod 265 has parallel flat 263 guided by ways 264so that the rod cannot turn. Movement of each rod outwardly is limitedby a screw 265 and movement inwardly is limited by engagement of awasher 266 with a shoulder '26! of the rod. Each roller 262 isjournalledon a bearing 268 supported by a pin 269 attached to the rod.To prevent turning of the core when it is pushed from the locators I II, I I2, I I3 of pocket II9, the sleeve 292 is provided with locatingribs 219 (Fig. 5) which engage opposite core slots. Another locating rib2JI (Fig. 19) is provided by a sleeve 212 attached to plate 269. While ashaft is being forced into a core in pocket IIO, apre ceding shaftassembled with a core is pushed through the burnisher and drops upon achute and descends to a bin. During movement" of the assembly frompocket I I9 to sleeve 292 by rod 259, the clamping jaw I26 is elevatedslightly to relieve clamping pressure, but the tooth of jaw I26 remainsslightly within the uppermost core tooth so that the core cannot turn asit is transferred from the pocket H9 to the sleeve 292.

Referring to Fig. 13, the shaft 21a of the speed reducer 2'! supportsthe brake drum 289 of clutch 28 and the hub 28I of the drum supportsroller bearings 282 supporting the hub 283 of a plate 284 carrying acylinder 285 withinv which is located a pneumatic tube 296 which whenreceiving compressed air will squeeze a brake band 287 about the drum289 thereby connecting a drive pulley 283 (attached to a disc 289attached to plate 284) with the shaft 21a. Air is conducted from a block296 (connected with an air compressor and, swivelly connected with plate289) through ducts 29I, 292 and 293 to the, tube 286. Pulley 298 isconnected by a belt 295 with a pulley 296 driven by an electric motor29! mounted on base 26 (Fig. 1). Valve I53 (Fig. 10) controls theadmission of air to the tube 296. Normally, valve I59 admits air, but incase its plunger I52 is lifted by the mechanism when a core is notproperly seated in pocket H9 or a disc is not aligned, the tube 286 isdisconnected from the air pressure source and is vented. Then the clutch26' is disengaged.

Referring to Fig. 5, a. cam 399 drawn by shaft 25 contacts a roller 39Ion the plunger of valve 392 (mounted on base 29) which controls the flowof compressed air to the ends of pusher cylinder 254.

Referring to Fig. 15, a earn 395 made of pieces 395a and 3951) clampedto shaft 25 by screws 366 engages the roller 36'! on the plunger of avalve 398 supported by a bracket 699 mounted on base 29. Referring toFig. 19, a motor driven'pump 319 withdraws oil from a tank representedby letter T and forces it through a pressure control valve 3| I whichpasses oil under a certain pressure to line .3I2 and the surplus isreturned to tank as indicated: by arrow 3I3. A pipe-3M, which isconnected through a by-pass in valve 3i I with pump 310 is connectedwith valve 308 which is controlled by cam 305: in a manner such that,when operation of the piston IBM in ram cylinder I90 is not required,the pump 3I0 is unloaded by connecting its outlet through valve 308 totank T as indicated by arrow 3I5. Pipe 3I5 is connected to the inlet ofan hydraulic valve 3 I6 whose distributing outlets are connected bypipes 3I'I- and 318 with the ends of cylinder I90. The conditioning ofvalve 3I6 is controlled by pilot pistons therein whose movements arecontrolled by oil pressure. in one or the other of pilot oil lines 3H!and 320 which are connectible with line 3I2 by Valve I45. When plunger Mis down (lever I30, Fig. 8, being up) oil is passed by valve M to pilotline 320 and valve SIS is conditioned-- to pass oil from line 3I2through pipe 3&8 to the right end of cylinder I00 to move the pistonI93a left. When lever I30 moves down, and the core discs are properlyaligned and seated, lever I40 moves the valve plunger up and valve Hi5connects line 3I2 with pilot line 3I9 and connects line 320 with tank Tas indicated by arrow 32L Valve. 3I6 is conditioned for connecting line-312 with pipe 3|! and the piston I00a moves right to push the ram I02against the shaft S then aligned with the core discs in pocket H0. Whenvalve 3P3 connects line 3&2 with one end of cylinder I90, the other endis connected with tank T as indicated by arrow 322.

Fig. 18 shows the power circuit for the motors 291 (camshaft), 15 (wirebrush) and 3I0 (pump). A cam 220 or M0 volt A. C., 3-phase line 33!,332, 333 is connected by a manual switch 33 and a relay switch 335 withthese motors. Relay switch 335 is closed by momentarily closing a switch336 which causes the magnet coil 331 of switch 335 to receive current at110 volts from secondary 338 of a transformer 35.0 whose primary 330 isconnected to wires 33I and 332. Deenergization of coil 331 and openingof relay switch 335 is effected either 342 or by opening any one ofthermal overload. switches 343 connected in series and each having athermal element heated by a heater element 343 in the circuit of amotor.

In Fig. 17 which shows functions for one cycle of operation during whichthe cam shaft 25 rotates 360, lines AB-C-D-lii represent the function ofcam 5|. A to B shuttle 32 advances to position shown in Fig. 8; B to Cshuttle remains advanced; C to D, shuttle is moved back to receive newload of discs L; D to E shuttle remains back.

Line F-G--HJ-K represents functions of cam 93 which moves aligning arbor02 horizontally. F to G, arbor is retracted; G to H, arboris advancedinto discs L; H to J, arbor remains advanced; J to K, arbor isretracted.

Line L-M-N-O-P'-Q represents functions of cam 85 which lifts arbor 62. Lto M, arbor is down; M toN arbor moves up; N to O, arbor remains upwhile wire brush rotates lamination disc, into alignment; 0 to P, arbormoves down; P to Q arbor remains down.

Line RS-T-U-V-W-X-Y represents functions of cam I10 which causes thelamination to be clamped between locators H2, H3, H4 and I26. R, to Sclamping jaw I26 is fully retracted; S to T jaw I23 moves down toclamping position; T-.-U', laminations are clamped while an armatureshaft is pressed into them, U to V clamping pressure is relieved topermit pushing the core from pocket I10 of shuttle 62, while robyopening switch' tation of the core is-prevented since thelocators stillextend into core slots; V-W pressure remains relieved during the pushingreferred to; W to X retract clamping jaw I26 completely; X to Y, jaw I26remains fully retracted.

Line AA-BBCCDDEE-Fl5 represents the cycle of the ram cylinder I90. AA toBB, ram I92 is retracted; BB to CC, valves I45 and 3 I 6 (Fig. 19)operate to cause oil to flow into the left end of cylinder I; CC to DD,ram I92 moves right; DD to EE, valves I45 and 3I6 operate to cause oilto flow into right end of cylinder I90; EE to FF, ram I92 moves left.

Line GG-HI-I-JJ-KK-LL represents functions of cam 220 which operatesshaft feed slide I82 andback-up plates or jaws 200 and 201. GG to HH,feed shaft S towork position and close jaws; HI-I toJJ, jaws remainclosed while shaft S is forced through lamination discs; JJ to K, jawsare opened and feed slide I82 moves back; KK to LL jaws remain retractedwhile assembled shaft and core are pushed out of pocket [I0 into sleeve232 preparatory to being pushed by the next right movement of ram I92out through the burnisher.

Line MM-NN-OO-PP-QQ-RR represents the function of cam 300 which controlsthe pusher cylinder 250. MM to NN pusher rod 250 is in left positionshown in Fig. 5; NN to 00, valve 302 is operated to cause compressed airto enter left end of cylinder 250; OO-PP rod 250 moves right to pushcore from shuttle pocket H0 into sleeve 202; PP- QQ, valve 302 isoperated to cause compressed air to enter right endofcylinder 253; QQ toRR, rod 250 moves left.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, form,it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all comingwithin the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A machine for assembling an armature core.

and a shaft wherein said core includes a plurality of discs each havinga notched central opening and the shaft has a longitudinally extendingkey thereon, comprising in combination a recipro-. cable work holderhaving a forward and rearward end and adapted to reciprocate between:forward and rearward positions on a slide, means for moving said workholder, a loading platform onv the rearward end of said work holder, afirst recess on the forward end of said workholder,,a loading receptaclehaving abottom portion thereof formed by said loading platform when thework holder-is; in a forward position wherein a plurality of misaligneddiscs may be positioned, an abutment portion for positioning said discswhen said work holder is in the rearward position, a second recessspaced from and intermediate said first. recess and said loadingplatform, said second recess on said work holder for aligning with saidreceptacle and receiving the discs contained therein; when said discsare in, engagement with said abutment and said work holder is in arearward position, means for lifting saidmisaligned discs out of saidsecond recess and other means cooperating with saidfirst, means foraligning said discs, 'saidfirst means being operable and aligned withsaid sec-- ond recess when said work holder is in a forward: positionand being adapted to hold said discsoutvv ofsaid second recess when the,work holder is moved to the rearward position and to position said,aligned discs in said firstrecess when said work holder is in, a,rearward, operatively associated with said first recess for constitutesa preferred position. means.

9 holding said discs in alignment, and means for pushing said keyedshaft into the central openings of said aligned discs.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the aligning meansinclude a keyed rod having a diameter smaller than and insertable intothe central openings of said discs and the second means is a rotatingbrush that is adapted to engage peripheral portions of said discs androtate the discs on the rod when the discs are lifted from the secondrecess, whereby the notches on each of the discs are aligned with eachother on the key of the rod.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the holding means forholding the discs in the first recess of the work holder comprisesfingers urged into clamping engagement with notches in the outerperipheral edges of the discs when said work holder is in its rearwardposition; a pair of backing clamps movable into engagement 10 with theend disc clamped in said second recess for supporting the discs whilethe shaft is forced into the openings therein; and means for pushing theassembled rod and discs longitudinally out of the machine after theclamping fingers and backing clamp have been moved out of engagementwith the discs.

RICHARD M. GOODWIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,391,202 Moore Sept. 20, 1921 1,661,342 Pabst Mar. 6, 19281,679,865 Konigsberg Aug. 7, 1928 2,324,925 Hallowell, Jr. July 20, 19432,390,170 Poole Dec. 4, 1945 2,460,379 Corren Feb. 1, 1949

